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The West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) welcomed two new board members and announced funding for a Berkeley County youth camp at its September 17 quarterly meeting.
The meeting included the introduction of two new board members, the announcement of the first recipient of the foundation’s Regional Contingency Allocation Program (RECAP) and updates on several funding and transparency initiatives underway across the state.
The foundation welcomed two new governor-appointed members to the WVFF Board of Directors: Nick Fantasia and Rebecca Miller. Fantasia fills the appointed seat previously held by Dora Stutler, while Miller fills the appointed seat previously held by former WVFF board chairman Matthew Harvey. The foundation expressed its appreciation to Stutler for her dedicated service and contributions during her time on the board. Following her departure, the board elected Dr. Tony Kelly to serve as interim secretary of the executive committee.
“We are excited to welcome Rebecca and Nick to the Board and appreciate their willingness to serve,” said Greg Duckworth, chairman of the WVFF Board of Directors. “This work means a great deal to communities across our state, and I look forward to the experience and perspective they will bring as we continue advancing the Foundation’s mission.”
During his executive director update, Jonathan Board announced Camp Ezri as the first recipient of funding through the foundation’s Regional Contingency Allocation Program. RECAP provides dedicated funding within each of West Virginia’s six regions to help address emerging needs and opportunities related to substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery.
Camp Ezri, a Berkeley County wilderness camp serving youth ages 8 to 17 who have experienced abuse related to caregivers with substance use disorder, will receive support for facility updates. The project will make the property safer and more accessible for youth, families, staff and volunteers. Additional details about the investment and its anticipated impact will be shared soon.
Board members then received an update on the foundation’s Community Catalyst Grant, a three-year, outcomes-driven funding opportunity focused on strengthening public safety responses, rehabilitation efforts and generational prevention across West Virginia. Applications were accepted throughout June, with the review process beginning in July and continuing through the fall. The WVFF Board of Directors is expected to vote on funding decisions in December, with award notifications to follow by the end of the year.
The meeting highlighted the foundation’s new Local Government Expenditure Dashboard, designed to make annual expenditure data submitted by local governments more accessible and easier for the public to explore. WVFF does not approve or oversee expenditures made by local governments from their respective share of opioid settlement funds. As outlined in the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding, the foundation’s role is to collect and report local government expenditure information annually.
Board members were also briefed on the foundation’s Gap Funding initiative, designed to provide temporary financial support to eligible nonprofits serving West Virginians that have been awarded qualifying state grants but are awaiting the initial disbursement of those funds. The initiative is intended to help eligible organizations maintain operations and begin carrying out grant objectives while awaiting state funding, helping ensure critical prevention, treatment and recovery services can move forward without unnecessary delay.
Rounding out the meeting, the board considered an updated slate of appointments to the foundation’s volunteer expert panels. Several new expert panel appointees were approved at the foundation’s first quarterly meeting of the year for terms beginning July 1, 2026, and continuing through June 30, 2029. Since that time, changes in the availability and roles of certain expert panelists have resulted in updates to the panel’s roster. To allow all appointees time to complete the necessary confirmation and onboarding process, names will not be publicly released until all appointments have been finalized.
“Each of these efforts reflects our continued focus on putting West Virginia’s opioid settlement funds to work in meaningful ways,” said Jonathan Board, executive director of WVFF. “With Save a Life Day next week, it’s an important reminder of what this work is about: saving lives.”
The next meeting of the WVFF Board of Directors, the foundation’s fourth quarterly meeting of the year, as well as its annual meeting, is scheduled for December 10, subject to change. Visit wvfirst.org to learn more.
